EASY SPIRIT CLOSING AT WESTFIELD MONTGOMERY MALL IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Easy Spirit is closing at Westfield Montgomery Mall. Customers were being directed to the White Flint location, but - oops! - the White Flint Easy Spirit has already closed.

Tysons Corner, Lakeforest Mall and Columbia Easy Spirits remain open.

BRUCE VARIETY ADDS NEW ITEMS AS IT LIQUIDATES WAREHOUSE (PHOTOS)

Even as the sad story of the closing of Bruce Variety continues to unfold, the venerable store continues to restock its shelves with new items.

Loyal customers are making a "Last Gas" pit stop, snapping up supplies, materials and other unique odds and ends.  But "Bruce's" wants the community to know that "just one more trip" may just turn up something you didn't see last time.

That's because they are bringing in new items which had been in their warehouse previous to now.

Among useful items I saw yesterday: snow shovels.  Predictions suggest those will really come in handy this winter.

BRUCE VARIETY CLOSING

Bruce Variety is closing. I called the store moments ago, and an employee confirmed they will be closing.  The closure is due to high rent increases, and an inflexible landlord, at least six sources tell me.

A go-to store for amateur-to-expert tailors, harried parents, and Bethesda residents in need of... just about anything, "Bruce's" has been a community fixture for decades.

This closure should strongly signal that the ownership of the classic Bradley Shopping Center could be planning to redevelop the site.  That would be highly-controversial.

The store employee could not say at this time if the shop would reopen in another location.

A very sad day in Bethesda.

KNITS, ETC. IS CLOSING AT BETHESDA ROW

Bethesda Row boutique Knits, Etc. has announced it is closing.

I can't tell you what this portends for civilization as a whole, because I've never actually heard any woman mention the place.  I've never been inside.  Men are not exactly their target demographic.

But it's unlikely many women heard of it either, as a Google search turned up no website or Facebook for the shop.  Along with the combined rating of 1 star on Yelp, perhaps the closure was inevitable.

Have you ever patronized Knits, Etc.?  Are you going to miss the store?  Post a comment and let others know.